On the Road Again: Onward Migration and Transnational Subjectivity Among Portuguese-Guinean Migrants in Peterborough (UK)

Abstract

In Guinea-Bissau, as in other African countries, international emigration has intensified in recent decades due to persistent economic depression and institutional instability. In addition to the old routes to Senegal and Gambia, contemporary movements now extend to Europe and beyond. One of the main destinations is Portugal, where Guinean migrants have been attracted by labour demand in the construction sector since the 1980s. However, the recent economic crisis in Portugal has led many Guinean-born citizens to continue their journeys, searching for better opportunities in Northern Europe and benefiting from the acquisition of Portuguese nationality. In this chapter I explore the connections between onward migration and transnationalism by focusing on the case of Portuguese-Guinean migrants living in Peterborough (the UK). Based on ethnographic material, I discuss how transnational ties and practices across various places – including Guinea-Bissau, the UK, Portugal and other sites in the Guinean diaspora – contribute to the emergence of specific forms of subjectivity, marked by manifold identifications in terms of nationality, language, religion, leisure and food.

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